The Desirability and Feasibility of Adopting the CISG: Analysis of the UK and Sri Lanka

Abstract

The United Nations Convention on International Sales of Goods (CISG) 1980 is implemented for unification of sales law among trading nations and for overcoming uncertainty of rights and duties of trading parties. The UK and Sri Lanka have not ratified the CISG owing to the importance already attached to English common law (ECL) in international sales of goods. The desirability of ratifying the CISG is attributed to cost and time saving, providing a conducive regime for buyers and sellers, uniformity of legal concepts, progress with modern technology and etc. The nonfeasibility of ratifying the CISG can be assigned to competitive advantage of ECL over the CISG. Therefore, the CISG should be amended by seeking recommendations from interested parties. Similar experiences can be drawn from Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP) and International Commercial Terms (Incoterms).